How to Make Marmalade

Seville oranges are grown in Seville, Spain,almost exclusively for export to the UK, where they are welcomed by those who make marmalade, myself included. Although marmalade can be made with other citrus fruit, I think Seville oranges, with their bitter tartness, make the best marmalade. At around 6 weeks the season is short, so most years in January, you will find me in the kitchen making a batch of Seville orange marmalade. Marmalade is a little time consuming as it requires a longish cooking time but is not difficult to make. Marmalade is now considered old fashioned by some and is made and consumed by a dwindling number of people. This is such a shame as to my mind it is just the best spread on toast. I personally love the stuff. You can also use it in cakes and bakes. Don’t let this fantastic preserve disappear completely. Follow my easy step by step method and I am sure you will not be disappointed.

Step one

Line a bowl with a square of muslin. Wash the oranges and lemon. Cut in half and squeeze out the juice. Place the juice in a large pan and the pips into the muslin lined bowl.

Step Two

Scoop out any remaining flesh from the halved fruit with a teaspoon and add to the pips in the bowl.

Step Three

Cut the orange shells in half again, then finely shred the peel with a sharp knife. It is up to you if you add the lemon peel as well. Personally, I chuck that in too, why waste it?

If you want to save time, you can chop the orange peel in a food processor. The marmalade will not look as pretty but it will taste just the same.

Step Four

Place the peel in the pan and add the water. Tie the muslin with the pips and flesh inside into a bag with string and tie to the handle of the pan. Add the water.

Step Five

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook gently for 2 hours until the peel is very soft. Remove from the heat. Lift out the muslin bag and squeeze as much as you can out of the bag by pressing it between two saucers. This goo is full of pectin which will help your marmalade set.

Better still, allow to cool and squeeze it out with your hands to get the maximum out.

Step Six

Measure the liquid including the peel. You should have about 2 litres /3¼pints (8½ cups). Make up with cold water if required.

Step Seven

Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Check this by stirring well and lifting up the spoon, you will not be able to see any sugar crystals on the spoon.

Step Eight

Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and bring to a rapid boil. As soon as the marmalade is boiling rapidly, set a timer and boil for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Step Nine

After 15 minutes, test for set by placing a small spoonful of marmalade on a cold saucer and allow to cool. The marmalade will wrinkle when pushed with your finger once setting point has been reached. (turn off the heat while you test). If it does not wrinkle, boil for another 5 minutes and test again. Repeat if necessary until you have a set.

Step Ten

Once setting point is reached, remove from the heat, and stir in a small knob of butter to disperse any scum. Spoon off any that remains. If you like, a little brandy or whisky can be added at this point.

Step Eleven

Allow to stand for 15 minutes, then pot into sterilised jars. Seal and allow to cool. Store in a cool dark place. Once opened refrigerate and use within 3 months.

Ingredients

Instructions

Line a bowl with a square of muslin. Wash the oranges and lemon. Cut in half and squeeze out the juice. Place the juice in a large pan and the pips into the muslin lined bowl.

Scoop out any remaining flesh with a teaspoon and add to the pips in the bowl.

Cut the orange shells in half again, then finely shred the peel with a sharp knife.

Place the peel in the pan and add the water. Tie the muslin up into a bag containing the pips and flesh with string and tie to the handle of the pan. Add the water.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook gently for 2 hours until the peel is very soft. Remove the heat. Lift out the muslin bag and squeeze as much as you can out of the bag by pressing between two saucers.

Measure the liquid including the peel. You should have about 2 litres /3¼pints (8½cups)

Make up with cold water if required.

Heat gently stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and bring to a rapid boil. Boil for 15 minutes then test for a set. If a set has not been reached then boil for another 5 minutes and test again. Repeat until a set is reached.

Remove from the heat, stir in a small knob of butter to disperse any scum. Spoon off any that remains.

Stir in the brandy or whisky is using. Allow to stand for about 15 minutes.

Stir again then pot into sterilised jars. Seal and allow to cool.

Notes

Once open refrigerate and use within 3 months.

Nutrition information is approximate and is meant as a guideline only.

Hi Jacqueline – we met at the Borough Market Cookbook Club. I’m about to embark on my first every marmelade-making exercise, so turned to your blog, hoping you’d make it really easy for me. However, I’m wary of any recipe that starts blithely with “Line a bowl with muslin”… I haven’t posessed a muslin since my children (now in their 30s) used to throw up on me as babies! 🙂 I have everything else to hand, so can I carry on without said muslin??

HI Eve
Yes I remember it was lovely to meet you.
You really need something to tie up all the pith and seeds so that you can remove them later. They contain the pectin which will make the marmalade set. You can get it from cookshops and some haberdashery dept. A (piece of) old white pillow case or sheet or a plain white cotton handkerchief would be better. Sterilise by boiling in water for a few minutes first. As the weave of these is likely to be more dense then I would allow it to cool aso that i can really squeeze out the pectin.

My husband just bought a box of marmalade oranges and unless he’s got a recipe from somewhere already we’ll use yours! Your instructions are very clear, the recipe sounds lovely so hopefully will be able to give it a go. I’ll let you know if we do use it. Thanks:)